Shakespeare in Southwold: How the past comes to life with Professor Raphael Lyne
In this talk, Professor Raphael Lyne explores the role of memory in Shakespeare’s works, investigating how language, imagery, and dramatic form bring the past into the present. Drawing on his research project "When memories come alive: an interdisciplinary study of the vividness of memory," this event offers fresh insight into Shakespeare’s art and the enduring force of memory and recollection in literature.
Raphael Lyne is Professor of Renaissance Literature in the Faculty of English at the University of Cambridge. He is also a Fellow of Murray Edwards College. His specialisms in teaching and research are Shakespeare, sixteenth and seventeenth century literature more generally, and the connections between literature and cognitive science. At the moment he is involved in a research project, 'When Memories Come Alive', where he is collaborating with scientists and historians to deepen our knowledge and thinking about vivid memories, what they are, how they affect us, and why we have them.
Join Southwold Arts Centre for a one-of-a-kind evening of Musical Theatre marvelousness. The opening night of a series of musical events, this evening will cycle through some old-time classics and some newer favourites in a celebration of song and dance. This time, the theme is villains - whether you’re a Wicked Witch of the West or more of a Lena Lamont, this one’s for you. Join us for a cabaret ...
WASHED UP IN WALBERSWICK arrives at Southwold Arts Centre this autumn. ANYTHING CAN WASH UP ON THE NORTH SEA COAST … So far and for no good reason this company has created a tranche of tasteless comedies, featuring sexual shenanigans and frivolous filth, including Death in Southwold, No Sex in Southwold, Sex & Death in Southwold , and last year’s infamous Salacious Secrets in Southwold. “Very s...
“There was a mystery attached to 17 Friar Street that the townsfolk wouldn't discuss. It was only Mabel who was obsessed with finding the truth. I met Mabel when I arrived in late September. She was standing in the street staring at an upstairs window. “Do you know the house?” I asked. Without altering her gaze she replied, “I know something of its history. You mustn’t even think of lodging here.”...
Hot on the heels of Brighton, Camden and off-West End success, 1816 heads to Southwold for one night only. It’s Byron and Shelley, as you've never seen them before. In this Friends meets Frankenstein comedy-drama musical, from the same company that originally launched SiX: 1816 is the ultimate origin story of the first modern vampire novel and Frankenstein, where a group of five Romantics get tra...
2026 deserves something special — and it doesn’t get better than our return to the fantastic Southwold Arts Centre on Bank Holiday Saturday- 23rd May, 2026. This isn’t just a gig. It’s a time machine. Classic Rock Revival takes you straight back to the greatest nights of your life — when the amps were loud, the choruses were massive, and every song felt like an anthem. Expect note-for-note p...
Southwold Community Cinema: One Battle After Another
Wed 27 May
Washed-up revolutionary Bob (DiCaprio) exists in a state of stoned paranoia, surviving off-grid with his spirited, self-reliant daughter, Willa (Chase Infiniti). When his evil nemesis Steven J Lockjaw (Penn) resurfaces after 16 years and Willa goes missing, the former radical scrambles to find her, father and daughter both battling the consequences of his past. REFRESHMENTS INCLUDED
The Hijacked Hollies had their most successful year ever in 2025, performing to literally thousands of people at the Butlin’s ‘Festival of the 60s’, the Southern Motorhome & Campervan show at Newbury Showground, Warner Leisure Hotels, 60s themed weekends for ‘Yesterday Once More’ & ‘GN Holidays’.. In this show, The Hijacked Hollies pay tribute to the legacy of The Hollies and feature all the class...
From the pen of the best-selling author Kate Ellis. Enjoy a delicious meal from Café 51 and test your abilities as a sleuth. The year is 1925 and in a small seaside town, local businessman, Charlie Montgomery, has been found dead behind the Crippengate Hotel. The doctor was called and, from the smell of bitter almonds on the body, he concluded that the victim was poisoned with cyanide. Only f...
Millicent Binks is a writer, former costume designer and burlesque performer. Her work includes a column for The Evening Standard and a cover story for The Sunday Times Magazine that was optioned for TV by NBCUniversal. Her first book series, featuring English milliner and amateur sleuth Opal Laplume, is set in Paris, Hollywood and Scotland. Her latest book is “Murder at the Scottish Ball”. Dec...
Andrew Hunter Murray is a writer and broadcaster from London. His three previous novels (“The Last Day”, “The Sanctuary”, and “A Beginner’s Guide To Breaking And Entering”) have between them hit the Sunday Times top 10 bestseller charts, been Waterstones' Thriller of the Month and have been nominated for the Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize. When not writing, Andrew presents The Naked Week on BB...
Harriet Tyce grew up in Edinburgh and studied English at Oxford University before doing a law conversion course at City University. She practised as a criminal barrister in London for nearly a decade and subsequently completed an MA in Creative Writing - Crime Fiction at the University of East Anglia. She lives in north London. Her first novel, “Blood Orange”, published in 2019 to huge critical ac...
Elly Griffiths is a multi-award-winning author & a No. 1 bestseller. She has written 27 crime novels for adults; 4 for children, & a volume of short stories. Her books for adults include the Dr Ruth Galloway Mysteries, the Brighton Mysteries and the Detective Harbinder Kaur series, as well as “The Frozen People”, the first book in the Ali Dawson Mysteries. Elly's many accolades include the CWA Da...
Julie Wassmer is a professional television drama writer, working on various series including ITV's “London's Burning”, C 5's “Family Affairs” and BBC 's “Eastenders” – which she worked on for 20 years. “Murder at St. Alfred’s” is the brand-new book in the Whitstable Pearl crime series, starring restauranteur and detective Pearl Nolan (now a major TV drama, starring Kerry Godliman). For almost tw...
Elementary My Dear Watson: Fun Crime Quiz Night. Nothing to tax the little grey cells too much. Vaguely crime related quiz rounds suitable for all. Teams of up to 4 - £3 each. Bar provided, bring your own snacks. Raffle.
Salman Shaheen is a British politician, journalist and novelist. He has written for the Guardian, New Statesman, Huffington Post, & the Observer. Born in Norwich in 1984, Salman grew up near Beccles, Suffolk. He studied Social & Political Sciences at Jesus College, Cambridge, before going on to complete the Creative Writing MA at the University of East Anglia. He now lives in Brentford, West Lond...
Nicci French is the pseudonym for the writing partnership of journalists Nicci Gerrard and Sean French. The couple are married and live in London. There are 27 novels by Nicci French, including the bestselling Frieda Klein series, published in thirty-one languages. Their 25th novel “Has Anyone Seen Charlotte Salter?” was shortlisted for British Book Awards Book of the Year 2024 – Crime & Thriller....
Slaughter in Southwold: Anna Mazzola and Abir Mukherjee
Sun 14 Jun
Anna Sharpe is the pseudonym of Anna Mazzola. She's the award-winning author of three historical thrillers plus one ghost novel. Her debut novel, “The Unseeing”, won an Edgar Allan Poe award in the US. Her third novel, “The Clockwork Girl”, set in 18th century Paris, reached number 11 in the Sunday Times Chart. In her latest book, “Notes on a Drowning Alex, a legal aid lawyer takes on the case o...
Simon Brett is the author of over 100 books, many of them crime novels, including the Charles Paris, Mrs Pargeter and Fethering series. Simon was chairman of the Crime Writers Association from 1986 to 1987 and of the Society of Authors from 1995 to 1997. He was also President of the Detection Club and was awarded the 2014 CWA Diamond Dagger. In 2016 he was awarded an OBE for services to literatur...
Murder Mystery Plotting Class: Plot Your Novel in One Hour with Millicent Binks! A fun workshop to brainstorm the bones of a unique mystery story! We will use the concept of secrets to extract motives, red herrings, character leverage, clues and twists! No need to bring anything. Pens and paper provided! Signed copies of Millicent Binks murder mysteries will be available to purchase!
A grief cafe in Lowestoft, a town mourning the loss of its high street on a coastline that’s crumbling like Rich Tea biscuits. After losing her hubby, ageing Crystal wants to live laugh love but maybe she just needs to chill out. After losing Dad, teenage Jordan just wants to like get grieving over and done with and that... but grief is messy and comes in waves right? Group leader Howard ...
